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Are there Classic Kites that are comparable in ability to modern stunt kites??

The Prism Elixir and the Prism Alien are both some of the more "pitchy" classic kites from the prism line. From the pilots who have flown those kites, what are your thoughts? Do they hold they own in todays modern array of tricks??

+1 on the Eclipse. Honestly I never clicked with an Elixir and cant barely fly the thing. The other kite that I think is far before its time was the Tika from skyburner. It can do everything I can. 1 pop roll ups aren't a thing but 2 pops work well. The rest it hands out easily.

On the Elixir, some of the smoothest trick flying I've ever seen was John Weldon flyng his Lix, low and slow at kite hill. JLs, backspins, yoyos, flick flacks, flat spins all just 1-2 feet off the ground. It doesn't have yoyo stoppers, but you can still fly it around a but before unrolling.

My son Eli can also comete on it.

The sail is much flatter than most kites of today, not to mention the curved LEs, so it has a much different feel than more modern kites now have.

My opinion is that, while it is capable, you will have to learn how it likes to do things. With most modern polyvalent kites, you can move from one to the other and most things work fine, the difference being in that the more popular ones have a strength or 2 (or 3) that others don't have.

Wow, I am a new flyer (just learned backspins, yo-yos, clic-flacs, etc in last couple months). I have a Prism Hypnotist and am starting to anticipate my next std kite. My hypnotist came with the Prism DVD and I was captivated at how great and able the Elixir looked in the footage.

I wonder if the Elixir, being allot more affordable than modern stunt kites, would be a suitable choice for my next step into freestyle flying.

My opinion is that, while it is capable, you will have to learn how it likes to do things.

I completely agree! I have owned my Elixir since 1999, I won't sell it. But on the days I decide to fly it, I find it best to only fly that kite. If I start with another one then switch to the Elixir, it takes a while to dial myself in to it. Similarly the other way round.

I'd suggest re-thinking the Elixir unless you have a plan to deal with the inevitable breakages you will have to contend with.

Please note that people are suggesting a '98 (or later) Eclipse rather than an Elixir in the majority of the above posts.

The Eclipse uses pultruded sticks. Cheaper. Easier to find. However it is not as durable as a modern stunt kite either. It is particularly vulnerable to sail damage when nose planted.

And.

While it is a remarkably capable kite in experienced hands, it is not anywhere near as capable as more modern stunt kites. That includes just about anything, at any level - beginner/intermediate/expert - designed in the last few years or even nearly Ten years.

I'd suggest something else really.. like a used Blue Moon Exile, just as an example.. lots of other choices.

Don't bank on an elixir. They are not made anymore and don't come up for sale used to often. ITs a great kite and I love mine but you would be better off getting something currently in production for your next kite. However, if you do get one used you will be disappointed until you get a feel for it but once you get a feel for it you will see why most of us like them.

As for what it can't do is any yo-fade tricks(front flip yoyo), cynique. Pretty much everything else is there but not for the taking, its a kite you have to know how to fly.

The 'Lixir was an excellent kite of its time. Along with the original version of the Benson Gemini it defined the second and final wave of Trick kites that were superceded in our affections by polyvalent or all-rounder kites.

Putting aside questions of what an older can be made to do, an issue that will raise its ugly head frequently when trying to match modern kites is that of build details. Older kites generally paid little-to-no attention to considerations of having the flying lines draped all over the kite. They are going to get snagged and ruin your day.

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